••Deputy Speaker cites ‘ranking’ protocol; Senator claims ‘marching orders’ from Tinubu.
A fresh leadership crisis has rocked the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu both laid claim to the party’s leadership in the state.
Both political heavyweights cited conflicting directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to justify their claims.
The tussle came to a head on Monday through separate Facebook posts, sparking debate over the party’s hierarchy and control ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Benjamin Kalu, representing Bende Federal Constituency, suggested that President Tinubu had reaffirmed a leadership model that places responsibility for party affairs on the highest-ranking political office holders in states where the APC does not have a sitting governor.
He wrote: “Thank you, Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for insisting that governors should handle party issues in APC-controlled states, while the highest-ranking political office holders, like the Deputy Speaker, take care of affairs in Abia State.”
Kalu added that the President reiterated this position during a recent engagement, noting that the arrangement has historically strengthened internal cohesion.
“You have always worked with this model through the ward, local government, and state congresses, and it has brought us great success. It has united the party more than ever before, and we are ready to win elections in Abia State,” he stated.
However, in a swift counter-claim, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu—the Senator for Abia North and a former governor—asserted that he had received a direct mandate from the President to coordinate the party’s activities in the state.
In his post, the former Chief Whip of the Senate wrote: “I sincerely thank His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the confidence reposed in me and the marching order to coordinate activities in Abia State in respect of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
Emphasizing his seniority, the Senator described himself as “the most senior governor in the state” and pledged to unify stakeholders.
“I am committed to working closely with all stakeholders, in line with the President’s directive, to ensure the APC in Abia produces candidates who are widely acceptable, united in purpose, and well-positioned to secure victory for the President’s re-election,” he added.
The parallel assertions have created a cloud of uncertainty within the Abia APC, with both leaders invoking the President’s name to solidify their grip on the party structure.
